Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee has installed the final pieces of track for Big Bear Mountain, the park's longest roller coaster to date.
Big Bear Mountain, a $25 million family coaster from Vekoma, is a family-friendly attraction located in the park’s newest area,Wildwood Grove.
Riders will see the Smokies while searching for ‘Big Bear’ in SUV-style ride vehicles. Revealed atIAAPA Expo 2022, these feature working headlights and brake lights.
"The Smokies are all about adventure and going exploring," saidDolly Parton.
"I’m excited our guests will be able to head out on their own trip into the Smokies to see if they can find that Big Bear! Whether he’s out there or not, I’m sure they’ll find a lot of memories along the way that they’ll keep forever."
Guests will travel at maximum speeds of 48 mph, also flying above the forest. The coaster includes three separate launches, multiple airtime hills, high-speed carousel turns and tunnels.
"Big Bear Mountain is an exciting ride that really is going to be a game changer for us," added Eugene Naughton, president of theDollywood Company.
"Not only is it the largest coaster we’ve built, but it includes features – like on-board audio – that are new for our company."
Dollywood's longest coaster to date
In December, Parton revealed plans to open a second museum “within the next couple of years” at a planned ‘Dolly Center’ complex in Nashville.
"I’m going to have a museum here [in Nashville] pretty soon, within the next couple of years," she toldthe Tennessean.
"We have the museum at Dollywood, of course, but I would love to have something here since this is really my home."
The museum, said Parton, could be part of "a larger complex, like a 'Dolly Center'". Big Bear Mountain will open at Dollywood in spring 2023.
Images: The Dollywood Company
